Vitellius I (Latin: Lucius Vitellius Caesar Augustus: c.769 - 6 June, 818) was Roman Emperor between March and June of 818 as a successor to Emperor Florian. Born into a wealthy senatorial family around the year 769, Vitellius was a powerful statesmen during The Anarchy period, during which time he served as consul during the last month of Emperor Tacitus' reign, and maintained power of the senate well beyond that. In 809, during the rule of Corbulo, Vitellius was forced by the princeps to cross the mederteranian to serve as proconsul for the African province, were he would stay for eight years before being recalled to Rome by Florian whilst he was in the midst of recovering from a melee wound. It was here he was declared heir apparent by both the Emperor and the Senate. This was complicat